Harvesting Header Divider Tip Geometry for Crop Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Harvesting attachments face challenges in efficiently feeding stalked crops, particularly under less-than-ideal conditions such as uneven row spacing, changes in direction, and slopes, leading to fruit cluster and grain losses due to uncontrolled movement and improper geometric design of the divider tips.
Innovation Solution
The harvesting attachment features a divider tip with a modified geometry, comprising an initial segment, a middle segment with a concave shape forming a constriction, and an end segment, which increases the distance of crop contact from the ground, reducing deflection and enhancing speed and acceleration behavior, while maintaining a closed wall for effective guidance and reducing losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the divider tip has a conventional geometry with edge sections not in one plane, then the acceptance and guidance of stalked crop is improved, but the closed wall structure is lost leading to increased losses
Solution Approach 1:
The divider tip is segmented into three distinct segments: a front segment with a first geometry for initial crop acceptance, a middle segment with a second geometry featuring a constriction for guidance, and a rear segment with a third geometry for transition to the picking unit. This segmentation allows each segment to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining the overall closed wall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the divider tip have different geometric properties tailored to their specific functions. The front segment has a geometry optimized for crop acceptance, the middle segment has a constriction for guidance, and the rear segment has a geometry for transition. This local differentiation of geometric properties allows the divider tip to maintain a closed wall structure while providing effective guidance.
2Ease of operation
If the divider tip contact point is close to the ground, then the acceptance of stalked crop is improved, but the deflection increases leading to uncontrolled movement and losses
Solution Approach 1:
The divider tip is designed to extend in the longitudinal direction away from the machine frame, creating a spatial progression of contact points. The front segment contacts the crop first, followed by the middle segment, and then the rear segment. This longitudinal dimensionality allows the crop to be guided progressively through space, reducing sudden deflections and uncontrolled movements while maintaining effective acceptance.
3Speed
If the force transmission to the crop occurs early, then the feeding speed is improved, but the crop movement becomes uncontrolled leading to fruit stand losses
Solution Approach 1:
The front segment of the divider tip performs preliminary action by making the first contact with the stalked crop and initiating the feeding process. This preliminary contact allows the crop to be gradually accelerated through the middle and rear segments, preventing sudden force transmission that would cause uncontrolled movement and fruit stand losses while maintaining efficient feeding speed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a harvesting attachment (1) for crops standing in rows, with at least two picking units (8) arranged axially parallel to each other on a machine frame (3), each of which is at least partially covered by a divider tip (4) extending longitudinally in the direction of the picking unit (8), open downwards and bounded by edge sections (14), which has a substantially arc-shaped cross-section with a radius increasing in the direction of the picking unit (8), wherein the divider tip (4) has a central segment between a starting segment and an end segment, the edge sections (14) of which, which limit the divider tip (4) longitudinally on its open underside and lie in a plane, have a substantially concave profile in sections.